Coldstream's friendly deer seen in popular YouTube video killed by conservation officers

The Canadian Press09.13.2013

A friendly deer nuzzles with a teen at the beach in Coldstream in this viral YouTube video. The deer was euthanized by conservation officers on Sept. 10 because it had become too accustomed to humans.Screengrab
/ YouTube

Rachel Dirks poses with a friendly deer outside her parents’ home in Coldstream on Sept. 6. The deer was euthanized by conservation officers on Sept. 10 because it had become too accustomed to humans.Submitted
/ Carmen Vanosch

Ernie Vanosch pets a friendly deer after it wandered into his front yard on Cunliffe Road and nuzzled him while he was weeding in July. The deer was euthanized by conservation officers on Sept. 10 because it had become too accustomed to humans.Submitted
/ Carmen Vanosch

Ernie Vanosch pets a friendly deer after it wandered into his front yard on Cunliffe Road and nuzzled him while he was weeding in July. The deer was euthanized by conservation officers on Sept. 10 because it had become too accustomed to humans.Submitted
/ Carmen Vanosch

A friendly deer greeted people at a bus stop in Coldstream. The deer was euthanized by conservation officers on Sept. 10 because it had become too accustomed to humans.Submitted
/ Carmen Vanosch

A friendly deer greets a man in his car in Coldstream. The deer was euthanized by conservation officers on Sept. 10 because it had become too accustomed to humans.Submitted
/ Carmen Vanosch

Ryan Smith posted this photo of himself and a friendly deer on Facebook on Sept. 4. He wrote that it was taken that morning on Coldstream Creek Road. The deer was euthanized by conservation officers on Sept. 10 because it had become too accustomed to humans.Submitted
/ Ryan Smith

Ryan Smith posted this photo of himself and a friendly deer on Facebook on Sept. 4. He wrote that it was taken that morning on Coldstream Creek Road. The deer was euthanized by conservation officers on Sept. 10 because it had become too accustomed to humans.Submitted
/ Ryan Smith

A mule deer that was likely hand-raised and trained to consider humans as part of its herd has been destroyed in B.C.'s North Okanagan. The two-point buck, which some had dubbed John Deer, was euthanized earlier this week by conservation officers in Coldstream, just south of Vernon.From video
/ PROVINCE PROVINCE

A docile deer that had become too affectionate with residents of a North Okanagan community was euthanized earlier this week.

According to an email from the Ministry of Environment, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service made the decision, in consultation with the provincial wildlife veterinarian, to kill the deer in Coldstream on Tuesday in the interest of public safety.

It was determined that the deer was likely hand-raised and very habituated to humans. Although the deer appeared friendly, there was a high risk of unpredictable or aggressive behaviour, particularly with the fall breeding season approaching.

“The extreme habituation of the deer presented a risk to the residents of the community or any person near the animal,” according to the ministry.

The deer, which some called “John Deer”, was a common sight in Coldstream this summer.

The young buck became an Internet sensation last month after a video of it nuzzling a young man at Kalamalka Lake was posted on YouTube.

Carmen and Ernie Vanosch first encountered the deer in July, when it nudged Ernie as he weeded in the front yard of their Cunliffe Road home.

“He was scared at first,” Carmen said. “He thought it was going to charge him but it just wanted some affection.”

After snapping some photos, Carmen and Ernie walked back into their home and the deer followed them on to the deck and would have come right inside if they hadn’t closed the door.

Carmen saw the deer again on Sept. 4, when it walked up to people waiting at a bus stop and rubbed up against them. She and her husband also live near Kidston Elementary School, where the deer became entangled in a child’s backpack while greeting students on Sept. 3. Carmen said the child was “delighted” but she recognized that the situation could have escalated.

“Obviously he was raised by people that he’s that friendly,” she said, “which is sad because that’s now what has been responsible for his demise.”

In the wake of the euthanization, many residents are asking why the deer wasn’t moved deeper into the wilderness or sent to a wildlife centre or zoo.

In an email, a ministry spokesperson said relocating the deer was not a viable option and that translocation is rarely humane.

“There is extremely low survival of deer for a variety of physiological, behavioural and habitat reasons.”

Also, deer are common and rarely needed for captive collections. Integrating an animal that behaved like John Deer may not have been possible, the email stated.

Marnie Cuthill, community coordinator for Wildsafe B.C. in Vernon, said the lesson to be learned from Coldstream’s experience with John Deer is that wild animals should not be treated as domesticated pets — they should be respected and left wild.

“Ultimately, if you don’t keep them wild you’re put your community, your family at a safety risk,” Cuthill said. “It’s a human-caused problem. This was a preventable problem caused by humans.”

■ Human-wildlife conflicts should be reported to the Report All Poachers and Polluters line toll-free at 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP), or visit rapp.bc.ca.

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Coldstream's friendly deer seen in popular YouTube video killed by conservation officers

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